Keeping it Uplifting

How did you celebrate Earth Day yesterday? I started mine out with a trip to Caribou (I drove—the bike’s not tuned up yet) for my free coffee. All you had to do was bring in a reusable mug!

coffee

A day that starts with Caribou is a good day in my book. I continued to try to keep the “green” momentum throughout the day. I did a load of laundry and used this environmentally friendly laundry detergent sample I got from Costco last weekend. I also used cold water for the wash.

laundry detergent

 

In timely fashion, our mini garden started sprouting little thyme sprouts. That only took a week! I can’t wait for fresh herbs this summer.

thyme garden

 

Lunch was leftovers from Sunday. Dana and I went to a casual sandwich shop called Which ‘Wich and I ordered a turkey wrapped in lettuce “sandwich.” I just had to replace the lettuce yesterday with fresh stuff because it had gotten a little soggy from the mustard and mayo. I actually think it tasted better on day two.

turkey wrap

Moose enjoyed the yard while it was temporarily snow free…

moose

I went to dinner at mom and dad’s and we had burgers with sautéed onions, a big salad, and roasted zucchini. I had deli mustard with my burger and oh my goodness that stuff is good! I need to go get myself some of that!

hamburger hamburger

The weather turned for worst last night and all I’m going to say about it is this:

funny winter spring

 

I refuse to turn into negative Nancy about it because I am extremely tired of hearing people complain about it considering there is NOTHING we can do about it, except for move to another state. I want to keep today’s post happy and uplifting, so I am calling upon my Pinterest finds to do just that.

Here is an eclectic mix of photos and quotes that made me happy today…

dogs

 

batman

 

ralph waldo emerson

 

girl

 

spiderman

 

oreos

 

puppy

 

If that doesn’t make you smile, I don’t know what will! I hope you all have a very HAPPY day!

Continue Reading Keeping it Uplifting

Insanity: Week One Completed

Happy Earth Day my friends! If you ask me, we should be celebrating this everyday…

earth day

Some things we can do to help preserve our earth:

  1. Use reusable bags when shopping
  2. Walk or bike instead of driving when we can—I’m so guilty of this one
  3. Take shorter showers and really watch our water usage—guilty
  4. Use cold water more often when washing clothes
  5. Recycle–DUH! I am huge on this one. Someday I hope MN is as posh as Colorado is in terms of their recycling habits.
  6. Use refillable water bottles more often versus throwaway plastic bottles
  7. Use energy-saving light bulbs
  8. Turn off lights in the house when you aren’t using them
  9. Unplug appliances when they are not in use

That’s just a short list! Even if we all start making a few changes it can make a HUGE difference! Don’t forget about our future generations and their well-being.

How are you helping to preserve our planet?!

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This is definitely going to be an odds and ends kind of post. As you may have noticed, I took the weekend off from the blog and had a couple of lovely guest posts for your enjoyment. In case you missed them you can check them out:

I pretty much gave the camera a break the whole weekend–it needs time off too. 😉 I did manage to snap a couple from last night so here are a couple of photos for those of you who enjoy food photos as much as I do…

For dinner last night we had the salmon dish that made me start liking salmon. Simply grill the salmon with pepper and then top it with an almond caper drizzle that is made on the stove top using:

  • about 1 tablespoon of butter
  • 1/4 cup or less of sliced almonds
  • 1-2 tablespoons of capers
  • 1-2 tablespoons of sesame oil

You want the almonds to turn slightly toasty but this whole process only takes about four minutes.

salmon salmon

It’s definitely my favorite way to eat salmon.

Check out our super healthy stocked fridge. It is filled to the brim with fruits and veggies and I love it!

fridge

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Insanity: Week One Completed

I told you this was an all-over-the-place post. Next up, I have finished week one of Insanity! I thought it might be interesting if I shared my progress week by week for anyone who might be interested in dabbling into the Insanity workouts, and also to do it for my own accountability and to really take the time to notice any progress I might be feeling or seeing.

Body and Strength Changes

Although it has only been a week and some may say you can’t see changes in a week, I am definitely feeling more toned already. I’m still working towards being able to keep up with the push-ups in the videos, but I do notice my strength is improving. After week two we will be completing another Fit Test which tests your stamina and strength, and helps you to note your progress. I will be anxious to see how that goes.

I am very excited to build my core and back strength. I feel this will really help alleviate some of my back problems.

Weight Fluctuations

No changes in weight.

Soreness, Fatigue, or Aches

After the first couple of workouts, I thought I was going to vomit (TMI?) but now I feel really good after a workout–no more nausea. My calves were tight during the first few days as well, but that has since subsided.

Right after a workout I feel pretty exhausted, but after I shower and get ready for the day I am finding I am highly energized.

Overall Thoughts and Feelings

I want to mention that although Insanity suggests you workout 6 days in a row and then take the 7th day for rest, if you feel like you need a break on any day in between, by all means TAKE A BREAK. Continue to listen to your body. Let your body recover to avoid injury, and get back at it the next day. Life happens, and there are days when you may be unable to get a workout in. That is okay but again, just start on up the next day.

I am doing my best to follow the program and follow it’s recommended schedule, but I am going to be throwing in days of rest and there will be days where I may be running instead and taking the day off from Insanity, but mostly I a sticking to the plan.

I love the trainer, Sean T. He is an excellent motivator and super easy on the eyes too. 😉 He really pushes you but not to the point where it’s annoying. He reminds you that it is okay to take quick rests during the workouts and that water breaks are super important!

I am so loving the fact that my hubby is doing this workout too. It always helps to have someone else going through the journey with you and we help to keep each other accountable and motivated.

I continue to eat a clean diet full of protein, fruits, and veggies which helps me fight through the workouts and recover from them quickly.

So far I am feeling GREAT!

Bring it on Week Two!!

Continue Reading Insanity: Week One Completed